The ZOO digital team: Will Near, senior digital officer; Scott Savitt, chief digital officer, Colin Hetherington, managing director, Ireland and Marissa Lang, senior digital designer
Press Release, 13th November 2023: ZOO Digital, a Dublin based digitally-driven creative agency is expanding into North America. The company which was acquired by Connelly Partners in 2022 will now serve as their digital offering globally.
Connelly Partners is an independent global agency with 150 employees across Boston, Dublin and Vancouver. The objective of the expansion is to drive the agency’s digital growth in North America – fostering integration, and ensuring clients can leverage ZOO’s centre of digital excellence and team of digital creatives, marketing strategists and creative technologists, advancing Connelly Partners’ sustained growth. This news is a departure from the usual trend of US brands entering the Irish market – and sees an Irish digital agency heading over the Atlantic with their expertise.
The two companies have been working together over the past two years to solidify its collective digital offering within the agency and bring clients enhanced digital expertise. Together, they have successfully landed new business, launched work and campaigns for clients including The V Foundation for Cancer Research, the iconic U.S.brand of Gorton’s Seafood; and science of reading-based tutoring Ignite Reading.
North American businesses will benefit from ZOO Digital’s extensive experience working with global brands including Burger King and Hansard Global and key Irish brands including Electric Ireland, Tirlán’s MyMilkMan.ie, the National Lottery and The Abbey Theatre. In addition, the agency is already working with some key brands looking to the US market such as the O’Callaghan Collection.
ZOO Digital will maintain its name and work as an integrated part of the Connelly Partners ecosystem. Its founders, Managing Director, Colin Hetherington, Creative Director, Chris Preston, and Technical Director, Martin Byrne, will provide clients with digital strategic direction and drive integration while leading the team in Dublin.
Colin Hetherington, Managing Director, ZOO Digital added: “With a decade and a half of experience shaping the digital marketing landscape in Ireland, we’re excited to introduce ZOO Digital to North America. Our human centered approach to digital has set us apart and it is now available to clients in this dynamic market. We are already gaining momentum with a number of new contract wins and we’re looking forward to making a significant impact on the digital landscape in North America.”
Chief Digital Officer of Connelly Partners, Scott Savitt, based in Boston, said, “Building from the success of Connelly Partners and ZOO Digital’s partnership over the past two years, we’re focusing on growth in North America. The complexity of marketing in today’s world requires agencies to provide end-to-end solutions. That’s what the convergence of ZOO Digital and Connelly Partners is about. We excel in data-driven digital marketing across all channels, using sophisticated customer research and analytics to inform all our strategies.”
Managing Director of Connelly Partners Dublin, Vaunnie McDermott added, “Connelly Partners have made strategic acquisitions, invested in new verticals and leadership, filled gaps within our offering, reinvented employee experience and converged skill sets for a stronger Connelly Partners. It’s exciting to see our ZOO Digital colleagues adding to this suite of services that our agency provides.”
As CP enters its 25th year in business, it’s positioned as an independent global agency with 150 employees across three locations in Boston, Dublin & Vancouver. The agency has built a culture where employees globally, from all offices, come together to create best in class work. Clients get global perspective, local market expertise, vertical depth and category know-how. And they get it from teams and resources across the network, no matter what ‘door’ they come in.